Book excerpt: The legend of Bob Marley continues to grow. Since his death in 1981 he has gained an icon-like stature, especially in the Third World where his status is that of a redeemer-come-rebel hero. A deeply personal, private man, Bob Marley was born in 1945 with a poet's understanding of life, an asset in a land like Jamaica where a kind of magic realism holds sway. Even before he was five years old, Marley's abilities as a reader of palms was revealed. By the time he died at the age of 36, the apocalyptic predictions contained in his song lyrics were beginning to come true.;This book has been written with the cooperation of Marley's family and friends. Placing the musician's life in its context of the extraordinary island of Jamaica, it considers exactly who Bob Marley was, this man who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century. Equally at home with the ghetto gunmen or the rulers of nations, he was aware that his ability and confidence came from only one source: God Almighty, Jah Rastafari.;This book is illustrated throughout with over 500 pictures, many of which have never been seen before. They range from unique, intimate portrai